CheckFreePay™, now part of Fiserv Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a leading provider of information technology services to the financial industry, today announced an agreement with Ready Credit Corporation to implement the CheckFreePay walk-in bill payment service at all ReadySTATION kiosks in the United States. The bill payment service is expected to be available at the kiosks, which utilize the NCR EasyPoint Xpress kiosk platform, in early spring 2008. Attendees of the 2008 National Retail Federation Annual Convention & Expo can view a demonstration of this new feature at the ReadySTATION in the NCR booth, #1327.
The ReadySTATION, currently deployed at 55 retail, convenience and grocery store locations in six states, allows consumers to purchase a fully functional ReadyCARD Prepaid MasterCard. With the integration of the CheckFreePay walk-in bill payment service, which securely transmits payment information directly to billing companies, consumers will also be able to pay bills with cash at any ReadySTATION.
According to Aite Group, a financial services industry analyst firm, Americans make hundreds of millions of walk-in payments each year. Consumers pay common household bills such as utility, credit card, wireless and other bills in person.
“Retailers that offer walk-in bill payments give consumers multiple reasons to visit their store on a regular basis,” said Paul Harrison, senior vice president and general manager of CheckFreePay. “Walk-in payment services have the potential to increase foot traffic and customer loyalty, particularly when available alongside other frequently used products in kiosks such as the ReadySTATION.”
ReadySTATION kiosks utilize the NCR EasyPoint Xpress kiosk platform, which enables easy integration of additional services. All integration of the CheckFreePay Link™ software is being handled securely without service interruption. This is possible because CheckFreePay Link leverages web services technology to transmit encrypted payment information, eliminating the need for a software installation at each individual kiosk.
“Cash-reliant consumers -- those who do not have traditional bank accounts or credit cards, can now benefit from having a completely self-service bill payment option at their fingertips every time they visit a ReadySTATION at select retail and grocery outlets,” said Michelle Schuleman, vice president of marketing at Ready Credit Corporation. “The self-service functionality enabled by the ReadySTATION also provides retailers an opportunity to offer additional services to their customers without added personnel hires.”
Bill payments made at a ReadySTATION can be processed the next business day for $2.50, or through standard three-business-day processing for $1.50. Stores already featuring ReadySTATION kiosks include Dollar Tree in Atlanta and Houston, Save-A-Lot in Milwaukee, selected stores in the SUPERVALU network, and convenience stores in Minneapolis/St. Paul and El Paso, Texas. Consumers can locate a ReadySTATION by visiting www.readycreditcorp.com.
CheckFreePay and Ready Credit Corp. will pilot the updated ReadySTATION at select Minneapolis/St. Paul retailers in the SUPERVALU network. All ReadySTATION kiosks are expected to offer walk-in bill payment functionality by early spring 2008.
CheckFreePay is the leader in the walk-in bill payment market, processing payments for hundreds of billers at more than 11,500 retail agent sites across all 50 states.
About Ready Credit Corporation
Ready Credit Corporation, through the development of the ReadySTATION and the ReadyCARD, is the first company to offer customers instant-access self-service prepaid financial products and services nationwide. The company’s innovative prepaid solutions provide customers a cost effective and flexible means of managing their personal finances. The ReadyCARD Prepaid MasterCard® is accepted anywhere that accepts MasterCard debit cards. The ReadySTATION is a self-service kiosk that instantly issues an activated ReadyCARD Prepaid MasterCard. The ReadySTATION also allows customers the ability to easily reload their ReadyCARD and check their account balances for free. Ready Credit Corporation is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN.